"We do not discuss investigative techniques," said spokesman Mark Pugash.

The questions came out of Doug Ford's revelations of an airplane surveilling his mother's Etobicoke home in August and that two TPS superintendents told him it was a "rented" plane working on a drug bust by the airport.

Doug Ford wasn't buying it.

"You know when a plane is surveilling you."

He said the mayor — his brother Rob Ford — teased "they can follow me all day and night long because I am not doing anything wrong."

Of course, the bigger question is how much was this aircraft used in following the mayor and will the public ever see evidence or images of such espionage?

Was it utilized in Project Brazen 2, which resulted in the drug arrest of the mayor's pal Alexander "Sandro" Lisi at an Etobicoke dry cleaner?

Have they been tailing the mayor from the air?

Police have refused to confirm they are investigating Ford amidst a storm of concern over his associates with criminal records.

But they, including Chief Bill Blair himself, have also declined to say that they are not investigating him, either.

But now the cat is out of the bag about the airplane, at least. They have a modern aircraft with spy equipment on board.

The plane, believed to be a 2004 model, is registered to the Toronto Police Services Board and is in the care of a detective.

It can be an effective crime fighting tool, said a policing source.

"Most people don't notice a Cessna flying at 3,000-5,000 feet," he said, adding it will work in unison with cars on the ground and act as a spotter. "This allows the surveillance set to follow the target without risk of 'taking a burn.'"

There is nothing unusual with police being mum about the plane, added Toronto crime specialist Ross McLean.

"Police are always going to guard their evidence gathering approaches and techniques and there is nothing wrong with that," said McLean. "However concerns are being raised these days about civilian oversight of agencies regarding lawful and appropriate use of the increased level and capability of surveillance technology."

But McLean added he wonders with "the cost of the helicopter that was rejected in 2003, was the police board fully briefed on buying the plane or is there a black budget?"

Certainly, following the helicopter debate, one does not recall police purchasing an airplane.

Since it seems police have had a plane for some time, could it have been helpful in searches for missing persons, was it used in the G20 or just hidden away in the shadows with its existence known only to a select few?

There are so many questions.

The biggest one is has it been following Mayor Ford?

Police are not talking.

But, thanks to an airplane buzzing the mayor's mom's house, it seems lots of others are.

“We do not discuss investigative techniques,” said spokesman Mark Pugash.

The questions came out of Doug Ford’s revelations of an airplane surveilling his mother’s Etobicoke home in August and that two TPS superintendents told him it was a “rented” plane working on a drug bust by the airport.